Alaska's boys teams delivered a clean sweep Friday at the USA Hockey National Championships — seven games, seven wins.
Both of Alaska's boys teams in Tier 1 competition — that's the highest level of American youth hockey — prospered in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Alaska Oilers (1-1-0) beat Shattuck-St. Mary's of Minnesota 3-1 in the 14-U tournament and the Oilers' 15 team beat the Phoenix Junior Coyotes 5-2.
Hunter Strand paced the 14-U Oilers with two goals, Conner Ehmann scored a goal, and Christian King and Ryan Miknich each had assists to support Raythan Robbins' 21 saves. For the Oilers' 15-U team (1-1-0), Keegan Thompson-McDonald led the way with two goals and an assist, Jeffrey Bertrand added a goal and Hannah Hogenson made 13 saves.
Both Alaska entries in the boys Tier II 14-U tournament are in Coral Springs, Florida. The Anchorage North Stars (2-0-0) thumped the Junior Carolina Hurricanes 7-0 and the Fairbanks-based Alaska Grizzlies (2-0-0) worked Team North Dakota 6-2.
Kaden Daniels furnished the North Stars with two goals and an assist, and Karsten Senden scored two goals. Jack Dolan added one goal and two assists, Colin Goff had one goal and one helper, Tucker Lien contributed a goal, and Mark Padgett and Bryston Monrean each had two assists. Matthew Driskell stopped 10 shots for the shutout and has stopped 42 of 43 shots in two games.
Silas Hughes sparked the Grizzlies with two goals and an assist, Dakota Spear generated 1-2—3 totals and Colin Hedland had one goal and one assist. Alexander Kulmanovsky and Tyler Tosch added goals.
Both Alaska teams in the boys Tier II 16-U tournament in Plano, Texas, likewise flourished. The Alaska Oilers (1-1-0) earned a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Phoenix and the Arctic Lions (2-0-0) beat the Houston Wild 3-2.
Gavin Hardy had one goal and one assist for the Oilers, who also received goals from Carson Keaton, Ben Martensen and Samuel Bourdon to back William Yoder's 38 saves. For the Arctic Lions, Brandon Davis, Riley Ott and Landon Bartels scored goals, and Levi Gho made 25 saves.
The Alaska Wolves (1-1-0) prospered at the boys Tier II 18-U competition in Lansing, Michigan, with a 6-1 win over the Chesterfield Falcons of Missouri. Sean Carey and Russell Harren each scored twice, Laauli Tosi and Corey Hanson added goals, Hunter Borst generated a playmaker (three assists), Levi Hensley racked two helpers and Cody Grogan made 31 saves. Grogan has stopped 76 of 80 shots in two games for a sparkling .950 save percentage.
National tournaments conduct the final day of pool-play games Saturday, with quarterfinals and semifinals set Saturday, and championship games Sunday.
Here's how other Alaska teams, and Outside teams that include Alaska players, fared Friday:
Tier II girls 14-U — Bailey Brunnhoelzl scored her team's only goal for the second straight game — Briana Paxson and Gracie Payne assisted — but the Alaska Pioneers (0-2-0) lost to the MCYH Edge of New York 7-1 in Troy, Michigan.
Tier II girls 16-U — Allison Green scored both goals for the Anchorage North Stars (1-0-1) and McKinley Hoff made 13 saves, but the North Stars dropped a six-round shootout that featured one goal in a 3-2 loss to the Potsdam Icestorm of New York in Troy.
Tier I girls 19-U — Clair DeGeorge of Anchorage furnished Shattuck-St. Mary's (2-0-0) of Minnesota one goal and one assist in a 7-0 victory over the Washington Pride in Rochester, Michigan. Anchorage's Avery Dunn also plays for Shattuck.
Tier I girls 16-U — The Shattuck-St. Mary's team (2-0-0) that includes Tate Senden of Palmer and Kylie Watts of Chugiak beat Honeybaked 5-0 in Rochester.
Tier I boys 16-U — The Colorado Thunderbirds (2-0-0), who include Kolby Klingenmeyer and Isaiah Saville of Anchorage, beat the Tampa Scorpions, 4-3, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.